Jesús de Miguel death: Owono seeks to apologise; murder charge deemed unlikely

NewsSports NewsFootballJesús de Miguel death: 'Deeply upset' Jesús Owono reportedly seeks to apologise as criminal proceedings deemed unlikely Jesús de Miguel death: 'Deeply upset' Jesús Owono reportedly seeks to apologise as criminal proceedings deemed unlikely Edited by Soror Shaiza / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 04, 2026, 14:05 IST Jesús Owono reportedly hopes to apologise privately to Jesús de Miguel’s family, as Spanish prosecutors indicate criminal proceedings are unlikely following the fatal collision.

Spanish police have opened an investigation after Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel died following a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a second-division match. The 30-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch and died in hospital the following morning, prompting a judicial inquiry and questions about the possible sporting and criminal consequences for the goalkeeper.What happened during Tenerife vs Andorra?

The incident occurred on Monday, November 2, during a Spanish Segunda División fixture between CD Tenerife and FC Andorra at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The match had been postponed by 24 hours because of the risk of torrential rain, and the teams were level at 2-2 when the collision happened in the 96th minute.A long ball was played forward from the Tenerife half, with De Miguel chasing it towards the Andorra goal.

Owono, the 25-year-old goalkeeper, came a considerable distance out of his penalty area to challenge for the ball near the halfway line. He jumped towards the striker with his right knee raised and struck De Miguel in the chest.The Tenerife forward immediately collapsed, leaving players from both teams calling for medical assistance.

Owono received a straight red card from referee Manuel Ángel Pérez Hernández, while medical staff attended to De Miguel on the pitch. The striker was eventually taken away on a stretcher and transported by ambulance to the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria.

According to reports, De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest during the incident, with medical personnel managing to restore his pulse in the ambulance. The match was subsequently abandoned after the referee consulted both teams' captains and officials, who said they were not in a condition to continue playing.

Jesús de Miguel lies on the ground after colliding with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono during a soccer match in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (AP Photo) The referee's report later recorded that the collision occurred while the ball was being contested.

It also stated that Owono had been sent off for making contact with an opponent with his leg raised and using excessive force.Jesús de Miguel dies after his condition deteriorates in hospital Tenerife initially offered some hope after confirming that De Miguel had been admitted to hospital, describing his condition as stable despite the severity of his injuries.

He remained unconscious and was placed in intensive care, but his neurological condition deteriorated during the early hours of Tuesday, November 3.The club confirmed his death at approximately 8am local time. De Miguel was 30.

CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel Alameda has died at the age of 30 after suffering a serious injury during Monday’s match against FC Andorra. (Image credit: EuroFoot _X) In its statement, Tenerife said: “Racked with pain, with a lump in our throats and unable to believe that this is true.

There are no words of comfort; there is absolutely nothing that can alleviate this feeling overflowing with sadness.“We stand alongside his devastated family, alongside his loved ones…that today weep for this cruel outcome.“The family of Jesús de Miguel thanks each and every one of the expressions of support received, and likewise requests, from the heart, the utmost respect for their privacy in these terrible moments.”The striker's death was confirmed after his teammates, coaching staff and club officials had spent the morning at the hospital awaiting updates.

His body is due to be transported to mainland Spain for his funeral in Navahermosa, in the province of Toledo.Why have Spanish police opened a homicide investigation? Spain's National Police opened an investigation into De Miguel's death on Tuesday, with the Homicide Group in Santa Cruz de Tenerife examining the circumstances surrounding the collision.

The case is under judicial supervision, and prosecutors have also opened preliminary proceedings.The High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands explained that an investigation is automatically opened when a person dies from a cause that is not considered natural, including an accident.

The procedure is known in Spain as a judicial death investigation.A statement from the court said: “Every death that does not have a natural cause — what is known as 'judicial death,' whether due to accident or other causes — entails the opening of a judicial investigation ex officio, as is the case here.”The opening of those proceedings does not establish that a crime has been committed or that Owono is criminally responsible for De Miguel's death.

The investigation is intended to establish what happened and whether there is evidence of responsibility beyond the sporting rules governing the incident.José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui, the chief prosecutor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, told the Spanish news agency EFE that criminal proceedings were unlikely because the collision occurred during a passage of play.

He referred to longstanding Spanish Supreme Court doctrine, under which injuries sustained during sporting activity are generally not punishable unless there has been an assault outside the normal course of play, such as an intentional attack during a stoppage.Sánchez-Jáuregui said it was “very difficult” for a criminal case to proceed, but stressed that the referee's report and the findings of the Sports Disciplinary Committee...